1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for determining image correction values for printing an image acquired with a digital camera and device for printing an image on printing material.
2. Description of the Related Art
A large number of digital cameras of various designs and including different components are commercially available. More particularly, the different digital cameras include different image acquisition sensors which converts light into electrical signals. These image acquisition sensors have different characteristics, in particular different spectral sensitivity. For this reason, the color rendition and density representation of the images acquired by the different digital cameras is different.
The images acquired by the digital cameras are converted by the image acquisition sensors to digital image data which are stored in a memory device. Such a memory device can be, for example, a chip card. The image acquisition sensors in digital cameras are mostly in the form of so-called CCD (charge coupled devices) image sensors.
It is desirable to transfer the image data which are produced by the digital camera and represent the acquired images to a device capable of printing the acquired images. Such a printing device can be, for example, a so-called photo printer, a so-called mini lab or a printer controlled by a computer. The printing device produces from the acquired images prints on photographic paper, on printer paper or another printing material. The term “printing” is therefore to be understood as a general term for reproducing the acquired images on any type of printing material.
Due to the different characteristics of the components used in the various digital cameras, in particular the characteristics of the image acquisition sensors, unwanted color and density distortions can occur when the acquired images are printed on photographic paper or on other printing materials. A specific object captured by different digital cameras can therefore be reproduced differently on these prints.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide on printing materials an accurate and true reproduction of the images acquired with digital cameras.